Seasonal Variation in the Response of Chicks to Dietary Cholesterol

Abstract

IN THE routine use of cholesterol-fed White Leghorn cockerels2 for testing hypocholesteremic agents, marked changes in the response of the chicks to dietary cholesterol were observed among groups hatched on various dates (Whiteside et al., 1964). These findings prompted a study of other factors which might be related to season of hatch and response of chicks to dietary cholesterol. PROCEDUREGroups of day-old cockerels were obtained at various intervals from March to October, 1963. The chicks were randomly divided into groups of 10 chicks each and placed in heated battery brooders. Average initial body weight was determined for each group. Groups were supplied ad libitum a diet consisting of 36.2% ground yellow corn, 40% soybean meal (50% protein), 10% coconut oil, 5% corn starch, 3.5% steamed bone meal, 3 % dehydrated alfalfa meal (17% protein), 1% cholesterol, 0.4% iodized salt, 0.35% methionine-hydroxy-analogue,3 and 0.02% manganese sulfate, and supplemented with all…